Charger motor



Patented Nov. 27, 1945 CHARGER Moron George W. Pontius, III, South Bend,Ind assignor to Bendix Aviation Gorporation, South Bend, Ind, acorporation of Delaware Application August 16, 1941, Serial No. 407,142

6 Claims.

This invention relates to gun chargers and more particularly to a fluidactuated motor for charging guns.

In the firing of guns such as machine guns and automatic cannon it isoften necessary to reciprocate the breech bolt to eject a fired casingand to insert a fresh cartridge. In automatic guns the reciprocation ofthe bolt is performed by the firing of a cartridge, and when a dudcartridge is inserted in the gun there can be no reciprocation to ejectthe dud and insert a fresh cartridge. Charger motors are accordinglyused to charge guns and thereby save the gunner the manual efifort ofthe operation. This invention relates to such a charging motor,particularly for small guns requiring a small effort to reciprocate thebreech bolt.

It has been found that to successfully charge automatic guns such asmachine guns, the breech bolt must be allowed to return unimpeded to thefiring chamber to effectively close the firing chamber. If the returnspring on the bolt of a machine gun must also return the charging motorto its starting position, the breech bolt, under some conditions, willfail to close tightly, and the reloading of the gun may be incomplete.It is therefore necessary to provide a mechanism to hold the bolt inretracted position until the starting motor has withdrawn out of thepath of travel of the bolt.

I have found that on desirable manner of holding the breech bolt in aretracted position until the charging motor returns to its startingposition, is by means of a latch mechanism secured to the chargingmotor. I accordingly provide a latch to hold the bolt in retractedposition and an automatic trip mechanism to release the latch when thecharging motor returns to the starting position. It is sometimespossible to place the latch actuating mechanism within the chargingmotor as in U. S. application Serial No. 371,742, filed December 26,1940, on behalf of Pontius and Wilson. However, the motor must be madeas small as possible to save weight and in the case of small guns, forexample, .30 calibre machine guns, the motor is too small toconveniently place the latch mechanism inside. The

latch operating mechanism must accordingly be placed on the outside ofthe motor and this structure forms a part of the invention.

It is anobject of the present invention to provide a simple, rugged andinexpensive charger motor for guns.

It is another object to provide a charger motor with self-containedmeans to return the motor to the starting position.

It is an object to provide a charger motor having a latch mechanism tohold the breech bolt in the retracted position.

A further object is to provide a charger motor having an external tripmechanism for a breech bolt latch.

Still another object is to provide a charger motor which can bepositioned on either side of a gun for the chargin operation.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation and partly in section showing myhydraulic motor applied to a gun indicated in dotted outline;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of a part of the motor showing the latchmechanism in position to hold the breech bolt in a retracted position;and

Figure 3 is a section along the line 3--3 of Figure 2.

In Figure 1, a machine gun ID has a breech bolt pin l2 inserted in abreech bolt (not shown) which pin slides in a slot I4 upon reciprocationof the breech bolt. Secured to the gun l0 near either end of slot I4 isa forward bracket 16 and a rear bracket I8. Brackets I6 and I8 may beopened to place therein a cylinder 20 after which the brackets areclosed and fastened, as more fully described in Pontius et al.application, Serial No. 371,742, referred to above.

The right end of cylinder 20, or the forward end with relation to thegun l I), has welded thereto an elbow fitting 22 having a stop bar 23pinned therethrough and to which may be secured a hydraulic conduit 24.Cylinder 20 is slotted at 2| (Figure 3) on its upper side to the left ofbracket I 6. Within cylinder 20 is a tubular piston 26 having a head 28and seal 3'0 on the right end. On the left end of piston 26 is securedan ear 32 protruding through the slot 2| and having flanges 34 on theupper and right ends. When the piston 26 is moved to the left under theinfluence of fluid pressure admitted through the tube 24 and elbow 22,the flanges 34 on ear 32 engage breech pin l2 and move it rearwardly orto the left, causing the bolt to be retracted, ejecting the casing orcartridge in the firing chamber. When the breech bolt is released, a newshell is inserted and the gun is again ready for firing.

Fastened in the left end of cylinder 20 is a head 36 to which is secureda guide rod (not shown) which extends axially within the cylinder toguide the left end of a compression spring a spindle 50 on the rearwardor left end on which is mounted a roller 52. Rollers 42 and 52 both hein a vertical plane through the axis of cylinder h 26. A spring 54secured to cylinder spindle M and contacting arm Spindle 56 tends torotate the arm $5 clockwise so that the arm will not project into thepath of bolt pin l2 as it reciprocates in slot 14 during automaticfiring.

On the left end of cylinder 26 and freely slidable thereon is a collar56 having a beveled rearward or left edge and having flattened sides,Secured to each side of collar 56 are forwardly projecting shanks 58secured at theirright or forward ends by a curved member 58 resting onthe top of cylinder 26. Shanks 58 are likewise flattened as shown inFigure 3, one flat being adjacent arm 46 which allows a more compactassembly of the arm 46 .on the cylinder. Ihe lower edges of shanks 58contact spindle M and collar 56 is thuskept from rotating on cylinder26. The ear 32, shank member 60 and the right edge of collar 56 form alost motion connection between the piston 26 and collar 55 which willnow be explained.

As shown in Figure 2 the collar 56 may be moved rearwardly by car 32until it contacts arm roller 52. This causes arm 46 to rotatecounterclockwise until the upper finger 48 is forward or to the right ofbolt pin l2, preventing it from returning to close on the breech. Roller42 acts as a low friction bearing for collar 56 when it is pressingagainst roller 52. At the end of the charging stroke the fluid pressuresupply may be cut off and cylinder 26 connected to exhaust by anysuitable means, and the return spring 38 will force the piston 26 backto its starting position discharging fluid from the cylinder 26. A thepiston approaches its starting position the ear 32 will contact themember 66 on shanks 58 and will draw collar 56 to the right away fromroller 52 allowing the arm 46 to rotate clockwise and release breechbolt pin 1 2.

It will be noted that the charger motor is readily adapted to eitherside .of the gun I6. For this purpose ear 32 and its flanges areconstructed ymmetrically to engage the pin [2 on either side. Likewisethe arm 46 is provided with two spreading fingers 48 so that when thearm 46 is placed on the other end of spindle M and turned over so thatroller 52 will still be in a vertical plane through the axis of thecylinder, there will be a locking finger engageable with the breech boltpin to hold the breech bolt in a retracted position. The brackets l8 andI8 can be used on either side of a gun to hold cylinder 26. I

In operation, the brackets 16 and i6 hold charger cylinder 20 to the gunIt. During normal firing the breech bolt will automatically reciprocatecausing breech pin l2 to reciprocate in slot I4. When it i desired tocharge the gun, fluid under pressure is supplied through tube 24andelbow 22 to act against piston seal 36 causing piston 26 to movetoward the rear. Ear 32 which is fastened to piston 26 andprotrudesthrough slot 2| in cylinder 26, engages breech bolt pin l2 left a thepiston moves under the influence of fluid pressure.

When the piston 26 reaches the end of its charging stroke, ear 32engages collar 56 moving it rearwardly or to the left, until it contactsarm roller 52, rotating arm 46 counter-clockwise as shown in Figure 2.In this position a finger 48 of the arm 46 looks the breech bolt,through its pin l2, in a retracted position. The fluid pressure is nowrelieved and connected to exhaust by any suitable means. Compressionspring 38 will now move the piston toward the right to its startingposition, collar 56 remaining in the position shown in Figure 2.

' When the piston 26 approaches its starting position the ear 32contacts member 60 of the shank 58, pulling collar 56 toward the right.This allows arm 46. to rotate clockwise, releasing breech bolt pin l2and allowing the breech bolt to slam shut on 'the firing chamber. Thelatch mechanism described allows the breech bolt to return to the firingposition without being impeded in its travel by the charging piston 26.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a particularembodiment thereof, it is not intended to limit it to that embodiment orotherwise, except by the terms of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a mechanism for retracting the breech bolt of a gun, a cylinder, apiston in said cylinder adaptedfor reciprocable movement, meansconnected to the piston for retracting the bolt upon movement of thepiston in one direction, a latching member mounted on the cylinder forholding the bolt in retracted position, and a latch controlling memberm-ountedon and movable with respect to said cylinder and having atwo-way lost motion connection with said piston for moving the latchingmember to a position of latching said bolt during the bolt retractingmovement of the gun operation, a fluid motor adapted to retract saidbolt upon misfire of said gun and to free said bolt for unimpededcountermovement to the firing position, comprising in combination: acylin-- der, a piston movable in said cylinder, means secured to saidpiston for engaging said bolt to retract the same upon movement of saidpiston,

latching means mounted. on said cylinder for holding the bolt inre'tracted'position, and means slidably mounted on said cylinder andmovable 'by said' bolt engaging means, as the piston appreache the endof its stroke during bolt retracting movement, for operating saidlatching meansto latch the bolt in retracted position.

3. For use with an automatic gun of the type having a breech boltreciprocable during normal gun operation, a fluid motor adapted toretract said bolt upon misfire of said gun 'and tofree said bolt forunimpeded countermovement to the firing position, comprising incombination: a cylinder, a piston movable in said cylinder, means,secured to said piston for engaging said bolt to. retract the same uponmovement of said piston,. latching .means mounted on said cylinder forhold ing the bolt in retracted position, and means slidably mounted onsaid cylinder and movable inone direction by said bolt engaging means,as the piston approaches the end of its stroke during bolt retractingmovement, for, operating'said' latching means to latch the bolt inretracted position, said slidable means movable in the oppositedirection by said bolt engaging means, as the piston approaches the endof its return stroke, for releasing the latching means to unlatch thebolt.

4. A mechanism for retracting the breech bolt of a gun comprising acylinder having a slot therein, a piston in said cylinder arranged forreciprocation and normally urged to one end of the cylinder, a membersecured to the piston and having a portion extending through the slot inthe cylinder to engage the breech bolt to retract the same when thepiston is moved to the other end of the cylinder, means disposedexteriorly of said cylinder and slidably mounted thereon and constructedand arranged to be moved longitudinally thereof by said member when thepiston is moved to the said other end of the cylinder, and an armconstructed and arranged to be moved by the movable means intoengagement with the breech bolt to latch the bolt when it is moved intothe retracted position.

5. For use with an automatic gun of the type having a breech boltreciprocable during normal gun operation, a fluid motor adapted toretract said bolt upon misfire of said gun and to free said bolt forunimpeded countermovement to the firing position, comprising incombination: a cylinder, a piston movable in said cylinder, meanssecured to said piston for engaging said bolt to retract the same uponmovement of said piston, latching means pivotally mounted upon saidcylinder to be operated for latching the bolt in retracted position andthen releasing the bolt at a predetermined time, and means slidablymounted on said cylinder for operating said latching means comprising acollar encircling the cylinder, 9; pair of shank members connected tothe collar and disposed on opposite sides of the cylinder and parallelthereto and terminating in a curved element spaced axially from thecollar, said bolt engaging means constructed and arranged to engage saidcollar to move said slidably mounted means in one direction to operatethe latching means as the piston approaches the end of its stroke duringbolt retracting movement to cause the bolt to be latched, and to engagethe curved element to move the slidably mounted means in the otherdirection to allow the latching means to be operated as the pistonreturns from its bolt retracting position to cause the bolt to bereleased.

6. A mechanism for retracting the breech bolt of a gun comprising acylinder having a slot extending longitudinally thereof, a piston in thecylinder arranged for reciprocation and normally positioned in one endof the cylinder, a member secured to the piston and having a portion eX-tending through the slot in the cylinder to engage the breech bolt toretract the same when the piston is moved to the other end of thecylinder, means mounted on the cylinder for longitudinal movement andincluding two elements axially spaced along the cylinder to be engagedalternately by the member during reciprocation of the piston, saidmember normally engaging one of said elements to urge said means to thesaid one end of the cylinder, an arm for releasably holding the breechbolt in a retracted posi-- tion and disposed in the path of movement ofsaid other element, said member being constructed and arranged to engagethe said other element to cause the arm to move to engage the breechbolt for holding the same in a retracted position when the piston ismoved to the said other end of the cylinder and to engage the said oneelement to move said means to allow the arm to move to a position todisengage the breech bolt when the piston is returned to the said oneend of the cylinder.

GEORGE W. PON'I'IUS, HI.

